Plant Propagation Calculator
Calculate cutting count, mother plant needs, and cost for vegetative plant propagation based on target production and success rate.
Inputs
%
$
$
$
Results
Cuttings to Take
589
Mother Plants Needed
24
Expected Survivors501
Expected Losses88
Trays Needed9
Total Propagation Cost$331.28
Cost per Finished Plant$0.66
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the number of finished rooted plants you need to produce and the expected rooting success rate (%).
- Enter cuttings per mother plant per cycle and the cost per mother plant to size your stock plant inventory.
- Enter rooting hormone cost per cutting and media/tray cost per 72-cell tray.
- Review Cuttings to Take and Mother Plants Needed to plan your propagation bench and stock inventory.
- Use Total Propagation Cost and Cost per Finished Plant to evaluate profitability or compare propagation vs. purchasing liners.
How the result changes with Rooting Success Rate
| Rooting Success Rate | Cuttings to Take | Mother Plants Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | 2,632 | 106 |
| 42 | 1,191 | 48 |
| 69 | 725 | 29 |
| 91 | 550 | 22 |
What each input means
- Target Finished Plants
- Number of rooted plants you want to produce.
- Rooting Success Rate
- Expected percentage of cuttings that root successfully.
- Cuttings per Mother Plant
- Number of cuttings taken from each mother plant per cycle.
- Mother Plant Cost
- Cost per mother plant.
- Rooting Hormone Cost per Cutting
- Cost of rooting hormone per cutting.
- Media & Tray Cost per Tray
- Cost of propagation tray and media (72-cell).
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersTarget Finished Plants = 500, Rooting Success Rate = 85, Cuttings per Mother Plant = 25, Mother Plant Cost = 12 = 6 input(s) provided
- Calculate Cuttings to TakeCuttings to Take589 = 589
- Calculate Mother Plants NeededMother Plants Needed24 = 24
- Calculate Expected SurvivorsExpected Survivors501 = 501
- Calculate Expected LossesExpected Losses88 = 88
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